Wind instrument



P 1929- c. B. GARDNER, JR 1,727,973

WIND INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 31, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IVENTOR Qfia ATTORNEY Sept. 10, 1929- c. B. GARDNER, JR

WIND INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 31. 1926 2 SheetsSheet 2 III-Ill NTOR E V W Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLESIB. GARDNER, JR., OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

WIND INSTRUMENT.

Application filed December 31, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in wind instruments.

The object of this invention is to produce a wind instrument by which sounds of varying characteristics may be produced.

Another object of the invention is to produce a wind instrument having a plurality of tubes or pipes and means by which the length of the tube or tubes and the column or columns of air contained therein may be varied by manipulation of a single operating member and notes of varying characteristics may be produced by each of the pipes and varying combinations of such notes may be obtained Another object of the invention is to enable combinations of notes to be produced by the operation of a single operating lever which will have a novel effect.

Still another object of the invention is to produce a musical instrument by so positioning a plurality of pipes as to cause one end of each of the same to be arranged adjacent to each other and preferably to radiate from a common hub or a centrally-located chamber and to provide at such hub or in such chamber a common operating member adapted upon operation simultaneously to vary the length of a plurality of such tubes.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so com bined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a central longitudinal section of a device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line -22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. a is a transverse section similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of device;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of another modified form of device;

Serial No. 158,144.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow, Referring now to these drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, 10, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate four tubes or pipes arranged with their ends 10, 11 12 and 13 adjacent to each other and, as shown, communicating with and radiating from a compartment 14: formed in a hub 14 preferably cylindrical in conformation. Each of the tubes 10, 11, 12 and 13 is provided at the said adjacent ends with plungers 15, 16, 17 and 18, all of which, as shown, are connected to a common centrally-located pivoted lever 19 by links 20 connected at one end to lugs 21 mounted on the plungers and at the other end to a connection 2i mounted on the operating lever 19 As illustrated, the operating lever is pivoted at its lower end at the bottom 24 of the cylindrical hub 1%, and, as shown in Fig. 1, the said lever is pivoted to a universal connection member 23 mounted in an aperture 23 in the bottom of the casing, having a ball 23 at its lower end. As illustrated, the lever 19 is provided at its lower end with a hook 151 which engages a hole 23 in said universal connection member 23.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the tube 11 is provided with a whistle cylinder 22 fitting within the tube 11 and preferably adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardly in said tube to form relatively stationary elongation thereof. The whistle 22 is provided with an aperture 22" which communicates with an aperture 11 in the outer tube.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, is designed to have air supply therethrough through the outer ends and, as illustrated, each of the outer ends is provided with a nipple 24; to which is attached an air hose 25, the opposite ends of which may be connected to any suitable source of supply not shown. In said figures the tubes 10 and 12 are each supplied with reeds 2 while the tubes 11 and 13 are provided with whistles. Any suitable means may be provided to guide the movement of the whistles and the reed cylinders 26 and, as shown, I have provided a groove 27 in the inner member and a projection 28 adapted to cooperate there with.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, it will be understood that air may be supplied either continuously or intermittently under suitable control and that the notes produced through the medium of the tubes may be varied by simple movement of the lever 19, thus a momevent to the left of said lever will cause a shortening of the tube 11, a considerable elongation of the tube 12 and a slight elongation of the tubes and 13, while a movement in the opposite direction will have just the opposite effect and a movement at right angles to said first-mentioned movement will cause a shortening and elongation respectively of the tubes 10 and 18. It will also be seen that a movement of the lever in a direction diagonal to the axis of one of the tubes will again introduce a different combination and also that by movement of the lever in the arc of a circle, will enable speedy variations of the length of the tubes and consequently variations in the notes produced therethrough,

In Fig. 4, I have shown a modified form of my invention which similarly to the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3 has four tubes 40, 41, 42 and 43, the length of each of which may be varied in a manner similar to that hereinabove described in regard to Figs. 1 to 3 by manipulation of the lever 44. The ends of the tubes to 43, however, instead of having air supplied thereto are connected or communicate with a perimetral pipe or tube 45 which is provided with a mouth piece 46 so that air may be supplied and controlled through the mouth of the user to all of the tubes and at the same time the lever 44 may be operated to vary the length of the tubes and consequently vary the tones of the notes produced thereby.

In Figs. 5 to 7, I have shown another modified form of my invention in which a series of tubes 50, 51, 52 and 53 are connected to a hub 54 in which is mounted a lever 55. In this embodiment the tubes radiate from the hub at varying angles and the fixed length of each 01 such tubes varies considerably irom the other tubes. In this embodiment, a circular pipe 56 connects the outer edges of all of the tubes and is provided with a mouth piece 57. In this case also the air supplied by the mouth piece through the tube 56 is adapted to pass through the sound-producing elenients whether the same are whistles or reeds and the length of the tubes are varied in a manner similar to that hereinabove shown and described.

In some of the tubes, the plunger-s 58 are imperforated while in the case of others the plungers 58 are preferably perforated so as to provide an air exit therethrough through the hub 54.

It will be seen that in Figs. 1 to 8, the tubular whistles 22 and the reed cylinders 26 are mounted telescopically at the outer ends of the tubes 10, ll, 12 and 1?. These sound-producing elements are adjustable within the said main tubes and I am thus enabled to initially tune these tubes at any desirable pitch or pitches and that thereafter the operation of the lever ill produce notes in accordance with the pitches of the instrument so tuned.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A wind musical instrument embodying a plurality of tubes, means located at one end of each oil said tubes for varying the length thereof, and a common operating member having a connection with each of such length-varying devices.

2. A wind musical instrument comprising a series of tubes each mounted to have one of its ends adjacent to an end of the other tubes, a device movable in each tube for varying the length thereof and a single operating clement connected to each of such length-varying devices.

3. .4. wind musical instrument embodying a series of tubes each having one end connected to and radiating from a cylindrical hub, plungers mounted in the ends of each of said tubes and an operating lever mounted in said hub and means for connecting said operating lever with each of said plungers.

4. A wind musical instrument embodying a series of tubes each having one end connected to and radiating from a cylindrical hub, plungers mounted in the ends of each of said tubes and an operating lever mounted in said hub and means for connecting said operating lever with each of said plungers, said lever having at one end a universal connection with the said hub and an operating handle at the opposite end.

5. A wind musical instrument embodying a series of tubes each having one end connected to and radiating from a cylindrical hub, plungers mounted in the ends of each of said tubes and an operating lever mounted in said hub, means for connecting said operating lever with each of said plungers and a tubular member communicating with the outer ends of each of said tubes, and means for supplying air to said communicating tube.

6. A wind musical instrument embodying a series of tubes each having one end connected to and radiating from a cylindrical hub, plungers mounted in the ends of each of said tubes and an operating lever mounted in said hub, means for connecting said operating lever with each oi said plungers and a tubular member communicating with the outer ends of each of said tubes, and a mouth piece connected with said communicating tube.

7. A Wind musical instrument embodying a plurality of tubes, adjustable means at one end of the said tubes for varying the length thereof to tune the same, a movable member located at the other end of said tubes for varying the length thereof during playing of the instrument and a common operating member having a connection With each of such movable lengtlrvarying devices.

8. A Wind musical instrument embodying a plurality of tubes, sound-producing elements mounted telescopically at one end of each of said tubes to permit tuning thereof, and a movable member located at the other end of each of said tubes for varying the length thereof during playing of the instrument and a common operating member having a connection with each of said lengthvarying devices.

9. A Wind musical instrument embodying a plurality of tubes, sound-producing elements mounted telescopically at the outer ends of said tubes to permit tuning thereof, and a movable member located at the other end of each of said tubes for varying the length thereof during playing of the instrument and a common operating member having a connection With each of said lengthvarying devices.

In Witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoing specification.

CHARLES B. GARDNER, JR. 

